Summary

The author describes their journey of personal growth through the consistent practice of doing push-ups, starting with just ten a day and gradually increasing over the course of a year, leading to significant physical improvement and a broader philosophy of incremental self-improvement.

Abstract

The narrative begins with the author's challenging family situation at age 15, which led to living with a foster family. This experience introduced them to the concept of small, consistent efforts leading to substantial results, as exemplified by their foster father's impressive physique achieved through daily push-ups. Inspired by this memory, the author, at 49, embarked on a personal fitness challenge to do push-ups regularly, starting modestly and eventually exceeding their initial goal. The article emphasizes the power of daily habits and the underestimated potential of what one can achieve in a year through persistence and gradual progress. The author reflects on the surprise and satisfaction of surpassing personal expectations and encourages readers to start their own journeys of self-improvement, highlighting that small, daily actions can lead to remarkable achievements over time.

Opinions

The author believes in the transformative power of consistent, small efforts, as demonstrated by their own experience with daily push-ups.
They hold the view that personal discipline and persistence can lead to achievements that may initially seem out of reach.
The author suggests that self-improvement is a personal journey and that individuals should be astounded by their own progress, regardless of external standards.
They emphasize that the ability to do more than yesterday can significantly boost one's confidence, even if the progress seems incremental.
The author agrees with Tony Robbins' sentiment that people often underestimate what they can accomplish in a decade by consistently working on their goals.
They advocate for the idea that starting a new habit or project today can lead to substantial results in a year's time.

Don’t Underestimate What You Can Do in 365 Days

Step by step, that’s how a hundred miles are traveled

When I was 15, my mom decided she wanted to remarry.

“You can either accept discipline gracefully from this man I want to marry, or you can go and live with your father in Japan.”

“Sayonara,” I told her. She put me out of the house to live with a foster family. It was a program sponsored by the YWCA of NJ. For troubled youths.

It was great. I got all the things there that I missed at home.

I mention the host family because the man? Well, the man was the one who inspired me to start what I started January 1 of this year.

It All Adds Up

I don’t remember the context. It wasn’t creepy or anything like that. One day? The man pushed up the sleeve on his t-shirt and flexed.

“Wow, that’s somethin’!” I commented.

“Just 10 push ups a day,” he told me. “I’ve been doing ten push ups a day for the past…” Christ, I don’t remember what he said.

His bicep reminded me of my father’s. My dad? Was captain of the gymnastics team in HS at Brooklyn Tech. A fact I learned about in the eulogy his brother gave for him at the memorial.

Over 30 Years Ago

Some things just stick with us, right? 34 years later, I decided to heed his counsel. This January, after not having exercised in years. Literally, I tell you, it had been years since I pursued any type of regular exercise.

A run here and there with hurting enough afterward to discourage further pursuits. Even joined a gym. My visits there were more about the massage beds with aqua jets than any equipment they offered.

So this year? At 49? I thought I’d just plop down on the paneled wood floor in my living room before anyone was up and push out ten reps.

Not. So. Much.

For the first week? I did ten push ups a day, but it was in two sets of five. Second week? Still two sets of five, but rather than one at the beginning and one at the end of the day, I did them back to back with one minute rests between.

Everyone’s Progress Is Different

By week three, I was able to do ten at once. By the end of the month? I realized that if I wanted to hit 4,000 in a year, I’d have to tack on three days per month of 20 per day.

So for the final three days of January, I did 20 per day.

February 9th? I did 15 on accident. By the 10th? I realized that if I just did 13 a day, I’d up my yearly count to 4,500.

On April 20th, I started doing 15 a day again. On accident one day and then stuck with it the next.

On May 5th, I started putting a 5lb plate on my back before pressing out 15.

If I continue at this rate and don’t increase my daily number of push ups, I will end the year with over 5,375.

Bit by Bit

I wrote in another piece about how amazed I have been. When you discover you can do something you didn’t even realize you could do? Holy hell!

It’s not so much something you work toward as it is something you’re amazed to arrive at. If I had started my year with a quest toward pull ups instead of push ups? I might still only be at one.

Depending on the study you reference, a full 40% of Americans can’t do a single unassisted pull up. That’s over a million people. If I could do a single unassisted pull up after just five months of work? That’d be astounding.

You know who says it would be astounding? I do. I’m the one who gets to decide what I’m astounded by. The only person I need to compete with? Is me.

Is who I was when I got up this morning. And If I’m better than that guy? I get to be the one who determines whether that’s astounding or not.

You’ll Be Amazed

When you can do more than you did yesterday? When you look back on where you started a month ago?

“People overestimate what they can do in a year and underestimate what they can do in a decade.” — Tony Robbins

It’s not just physical exercise. It’s writing. It’s meditating. It’s singing. When you practice something over and again, you increase your potential of getting better at that something.

Even if you don’t, you’ll be amazed by how much knowing what you can’t do improves your confidence.

How do you eat an elephant? Bite by bite. How did workers build the Great Wall of China? Brick by brick.

A year from now, you will wish you had started something today.

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